tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post8813495370369720388..comments2024-03-28T01:51:22.367-03:00Comments on Not Buying Anything: Get Cooking: Tips For Beating Rising Food PricesGregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-89109621426915587602012-10-08T12:34:13.277-03:002012-10-08T12:34:13.277-03:00hi Gregg,
Sorry, I just read your reply. I live i...hi Gregg,<br /><br />Sorry, I just read your reply. I live in Germany and next to all the very cheap stores (Aldi, etc., I think they start in the US now as well..)there is also a growing number of bio stores. I am very lucky, I have one in just 5 minutes walking distance. You get everything from food to natural cosmetic, dog food, etc. It is more expensive, but in the end I think this is the real fair price for real and fair food.<br /><br />Good health to you, too. I really love your way of living!Milahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15795942523155691515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-53401831251761601532012-09-28T13:27:05.457-03:002012-09-28T13:27:05.457-03:00Since good food can be our medicine, and is more g...Since good food can be our medicine, and is more gentle on the planet, you really can't go wrong spending money on quality fare. Your priorities are in the right place.<br /><br />By not eating meat and cooking everything from scratch, you are probably still saving money over buying prepackaged and restaurant foods.<br /><br />I love the sound of a bio store! Where do you live that has such a place?<br /><br />Good food, and good health to you.Gregg Koephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-58732519511306460182012-09-28T10:20:35.215-03:002012-09-28T10:20:35.215-03:00To be honest, we do not save when buying food. We ...To be honest, we do not save when buying food. We only buy fresh, biological and ecological food, fresh from the farmer or a bio store. This is more expensive than the normal grocery store, but so much healthier. As we do not eat meat and make everything from scratch, our bill is still reasonable to us. We save in other areas of our life, but good and healthy food is a high priority for us.Milahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15795942523155691515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-19577001643720018622012-09-27T17:09:32.844-03:002012-09-27T17:09:32.844-03:00Great investigation into the cost of bread, and br...Great investigation into the cost of bread, and bread making. We also came up with the same answer- baking at home saves money. It is also nice to be able to know exactly what is in your bread, and as you say, it tastes so much better.<br /><br />And the smell! Yum.Gregg Koephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-92111901000671366502012-09-27T16:44:29.401-03:002012-09-27T16:44:29.401-03:00Marie and Mary,
The average given by USDA data do...Marie and Mary,<br /><br />The average given by USDA data do seem to quite high. We certainly spend nowhere near 1/2 of the number given for the two of us. The average I quoted was for a "Moderate Food Plan", and there is one more level above that!<br /><br />I did a little more digging and came up with a bit more info about how they came up with the numbers used.<br /><br />From: USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion <br /><br />http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodPlansCostofFood.htm<br /><br />The categories under Cost Of Food are: Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal. Food Plans "represent a nutritious diet at different costs". In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. <br /><br />All meals and snacks are purchased at stores and prepared at home. Food Plans are based on 2005 dietary guidelines and the "MyPyramid" food intake recommendations.<br /><br />Costs are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars using the Consumer Price Index.<br /><br />Weekly costs for food for a family of four in all 4 categories are: Thrifty - $145.20, Low-Cost - $161.00, Moderate-Cost - $236.50, Liberal - $287.20 <br /><br />from: Cost of Food at Home at Four Levels, US Average, January 2012<br /><br />Weekly food costs for Linda and I are more in line with yours. We spend about $50.00 dollars a week on groceries. Perhaps they need a new category for those of us living simple, minimalist lifestyles. <br /><br />Linda and I also really enjoy having the time to grow fresh food, and cook our own meals. Indeed, the time we take to do so allows us to save money and deeply experience life.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing!<br />Gregg Koephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-42203660719244267672012-09-27T15:58:15.750-03:002012-09-27T15:58:15.750-03:00I bought a breadmaker some years ago. I went as fa...I bought a breadmaker some years ago. I went as far as measuring the amount of electricity it uses to determine the cost of a homemade loaf. Turns out to be just under half of a store bought bread. To boot the homemade loaf tastes great and is healthier than the store bought loaf.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11960754988913218511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-31186648122154720612012-09-27T10:53:29.997-03:002012-09-27T10:53:29.997-03:00I agree with MarieG we don't spend nearly that...I agree with MarieG we don't spend nearly that much on food. We are a family of 3 (all adults) and spend around $300 on groceries a month. Our dining-out budget is about $50 per month. I find the more time you are willing to put into food preparation the less your grocery bill will be. We are really big gardeners and make most meals from scratch. In the end you have to decide if you want to put in the extra time/work or spend the extra cash. We get so much more pleasure from our garden & cooking then from grocery shopping that the choice is easy for us. Of course if I still had small children then the choice is so much harder. Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05388457954809137846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-76205375771497677432012-09-26T16:38:41.444-03:002012-09-26T16:38:41.444-03:00Wow! I am always looking for ways to spend less on...Wow! I am always looking for ways to spend less on food, but if we spent $237 a week on food we would be broke! I spend about $50 a week for the three of us and an additional $30 over the course of the month for things like eggs, etc. I have made my own bread in the past but have yet to find a recipe that my husband enjoys the consistency of. He is pickier than I am, so I am still buying store bought bread. I do buy it on sale and freeze if possible. I buy very little meat or dairy and things like rice, flour, oatmeal, or pasta can be used in so many different ways. We still eat out on occasion, but we all find when we do we end up with an upset stomach. I would love to hear any other ideas for saving money. We are a minimalist/simple living family and that includes our food.MarieGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16028494875978434339noreply@blogger.com